11 in contact with Filipino nurse cleared of MERS-CoV, 3 under observation
MANILA, Philippines―The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday reported that 11 people who had close contact with a Filipina nurse who was diagnosed with deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) and have exhibited symptoms of the disease have tested negative.
In a press conference, Acting Health Secretary Janette Garin said that while 10 of the 11 people have been discharged, one patient was ordered to remain at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) as her X-ray result made her a “probable case” of MERS-CoV.
“We are happy to report that only two patients remain at RITM, including our “index case” nurse from Saudi Arabia. All 11 patients have tested negative during the second round of testing but our experts decided not to discharge one of the patients yet due to her X-ray result, making her a probable case,” Garin said in Filipino.
All 56 people who had close contact with the nurse, most of them medical workers from Evangelista Medical Safety Hospital where the nurse first sought medical attention a day after her arrival last Feb. 1, will remain in quarantine until Feb. 24 to ensure their safety, Garin said.
Meanwhile, the DOH put two passengers in Saudi Airlines SV860 in isolation in separate hospitals and are being “closely observed”: one was considered a ‘patient under investigation’ while the other one and was considered as a “MERS-CoV suspect.”
As many as 115 of the 220 passengers in the flight have been contacted and will undergo MERS-CoV testing.
DOH also reiterated that MERS-CoV is not airborne and that the residents of San Pedro, Laguna province need not fear contracting the disease.
Garin asked the public to pray for speedy recovery of the pregnant Filipina nurse and her child.
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